John Miller is back again with another beautiful photo to share, and again captured at Dream Lake (Lakedale). This time it’s a Bufflehead on the wing. Thanks for sharing John!

Local photographer John Miller shares this image he captured Saturday of a swan on Dream Lake (Lakedale). Thanks for sharing John!

Freezer Burned is an ongoing series on the San Juan Update, written by Steve Ulvi… (Authors note: this fictional tale of Alaska bush life adventure, grief and redemption, circa the 1980s, will be continued founded upon two previous stories.  See Freezer Burned: “No Matter What” and “The Confines of Heaven” for character background.) The Confines  Continue Reading

This article was Submitted by Transitions San Juan Island Waste Management Group… What keeps on giving each year? Creating traditions that help nature: A potted fir tree brought inside to decorate, used yearly; growing side by side with us all. A candle lit every Xmas eve. A cactus passed down through generations, nourished and watered  Continue Reading

The Conservation Land Bank and the Preservation Trust recently completed a forest assessment at Turtleback and Turtlehead Preserves. The resulting report (click here to view report) outlines a variety of forest management actions aimed at increasing forest health, habitat value and climate change resiliency. Staff are incorporating the recommended actions into the forthcoming update to  Continue Reading

This article written by Dominic Sivitilli… The lab was buzzing with excitement when I arrived. A few weeks into the summer term, the water tables of Lab 3 were teeming with invertebrate life. All varieties of morphology and behavior were on display for our class to study. But something was different today: the lab had  Continue Reading

This morning we find a letter to you in the San Juan Update Mailbag from Steve Ulvi… In the late 1960s, my outdoor adventures grew grittier; in wilder landscapes, greatly expanding on childhood camping trips.  My dominant interests became nature-centered, access under one’s own power.  I felt the thrum of the non-human community of life  Continue Reading

Trail Times is a continuing series of articles introducing the Old Military Road Trail (OMRT), a proposed 18-21 mile cross-island non-motorized multi-use trail linking English Camp and American Camp and honoring the original Old Military Road. The King Sisters Preserve is an often overlooked little gem in our San Juan Island Trail System. Strategically located  Continue Reading

(Friday Harbor, WA) – November 2, 2021 – Join author Thor Hanson for two upcoming events hosted by the San Juan Island Library. Hanson will regale readers with a discussion of his newly released book, Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid: The Fraught and Fascinating Biology of Climate Change via Zoom on Wednesday, November 3, at  Continue Reading

At 7:00 pm, Saturday, October 23, 2021, join Shona Aitken, Education Coordinator at Wolf Hollow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, to explore the fascinating world of island owls, and learn about the many different owls that live here on the San Juan Islands. We hope you can all attend this enlightening talk. To register email: giverson@sjlib.org You will  Continue Reading

People who want to make a living working with trees or forests are invited to a free, hands-on, outdoor course offered by the Economic Development Council of San Juan County (EDC).  The course will be taught by Carson Sprenger, proprietor of Rain Shadow Consulting at their Orcas Island facilities, Saturdays Oct. 30th – Nov. 20th,  Continue Reading

The Madrona Institute has awarded $22,500 in grants to local nonprofit organizations in its first year of grant making based on revenues received from sales of the San Juan Islands Special License Plate. This year’s grantees include: San Juan Islands Conservation District for their San Juan Islands Youth Conservation Corps ($6,000), Friends of the San  Continue Reading

The San Juan County Land Bank Commission will hold its monthly meeting on September 17, from 8:30am-11:15am via Zoom. The public is invited to attend. Click HERE to download the agenda (includes ZOOM link) and meeting materials. To learn more about your Conservation Land Bank, visit sjclandbank.org. If you’re interested in volunteering and/or joining our  Continue Reading

SPOKANE, Wash. – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), today, announced it will hold a meeting of the San Juan Islands National Monument Advisory Committee (MAC). The public is welcome to attend the meeting which will occur on Tuesday, Sept. 14, via Zoom from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Planned agenda items at the meeting  Continue Reading

The recently formed Camas Club launches a website https://camas.club created for and by islanders to connect with other backyard habitat enthusiasts. It is a place where native habitat aficionados can ask questions, share resources, organize seed swaps, and more. By exchanging information about aspects such as restoration techniques, lessons learned, trusted sources of native plant  Continue Reading

The following article is shared with you by R. Brent Lyles, Executive Director, Friends of the San Juans It’s time to spring into action! On the morning of Tuesday, September 14th, the County Council will hold a hearing on the 2021 docket. This year’s docket includes proposals for new tree-protection standards, stormwater-management standards, and doing  Continue Reading

The Islands’ Oil Spill Association (IOSA) is offering free oil spill response training for interested islanders in October. Sessions will be held on Lopez, Orcas, and San Juan Island. This half-day hands-on training is intended to give both new and existing volunteers an introduction to basic response strategies and provide a general overview of the  Continue Reading

Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid The Fraught and Fascinating Biology of Climate Change by Thor Hanson There is always reason to celebrate the release of a new book by San Juan Island biologist and author, Thor Hanson. If you’ve read Feathers, Seeds, and Buzz, and sat enthralled at one of Thor Hanson’s lively and informative  Continue Reading

The Salish Seeds Project’s popular, twice-annual wildflower sale is happening soon. Reserve plants online September 10 – 17, and pick them up on Saturday, October 2 at locations on Lopez, Orcas, and San Juan islands. All plants are produced locally by the Salish Seeds Project, a joint program of the San Juan County Land Bank  Continue Reading

FRIDAY HARBOR, WA. – Labor Day weekend is approaching, the last hurrah for many summer boaters before buckling down for the fall. As scores of vessels take to local waterways over the holiday, it’s an important time to stay vigilant and keep safe on the water. San Juan County’s Department of Environmental Stewardship calls on  Continue Reading

Friday Harbor Artist Shannon Borg – with guest artists Julia Wayne and Wendy Smith – presents an art installation of paintings, fiber art, jewelry and more, with an outdoor reception on Friday, August 27, 4:00 – 7:00pm  “Our island beaches are powerful, mysterious, and beautiful places, where we go to reflect, celebrate, and heal,” says  Shannon.   Continue Reading

Signs of wildlife were on high display during this month’s easement monitoring. Low tide provided a good look at some gooseneck barnacles that remained healthy despite the recent heat. The San Juan County Land Bank Commission will hold its monthly meeting on August 20, from 8:30am-11:15am via Zoom. The public is invited to attend. Click  Continue Reading